Review of the day

No joy again this afternoon and I have to admit that my current spell of relatively poor form is a little concerning…

As I said earlier in the week, I don’t think the wet weather is helping – I feel that I may be looking too hard for horses who will handle the (likely) conditions, when I should instead be concentrating on finding the best horse in the race…

In a way, that is supported by the way the tips are running – which is generally quite well – but not well enough…

Ugly Bug was a case in point today (though give me half a dozen picks and I wouldn’t have come up with the winner, who was returning from over 2 years off the track !). He ran very well – but ultimately couldn’t go on with the first two from the final flight…

Similarly, Brackloon High ran a decent enough race – but was no match for Lienosus (who again who have been very difficult to pick).

I could have picked Irish Saint – but I just didn’t think there was sufficient on his last run to take a risk.

Maybe there wasn’t, but that didn’t stop him powering clear of Imperial Leader at Ascot, with the well supported Thomas Crapper back in fourth.

Irish Saint simply looked different class...

Vino Griego was the only tip of the day to run poorly. However that is always a risk with him and was factored into the price.

Once again, the winner of the race was almost unpickable.

At least Katenko ran a fair race to finish a close up fourth. Hardly Gold Cup winning form – but it does at least give Venetia something to work on…

The other intended tip of the day, Tatenen, was a non-runner.

But as things turned out, I suspect that was a good thing. I don’t think that he would have coped with Bury Parade, in the form that one showed today…

There was no joy for either of the Top Picks – and in a way that was more concerning, as they were both short prices…

That said, Kingcora probably should have won at Ascot. He made a couple of shocking mistakes and then seemed to idle when hitting the front.
He is clearly handicapped to win at the moment.

There seemed to be no obvious excuse for the defeat of Mickie however, and credit must go to both Highland Retreat and Carols Spirit for very good runs…

Somersby was an early faller in the Clarence House chase, which was a shame.

However, only his most ardent fan would suggest that he could have beaten Sire De Grugy, today…

Over at Haydock, Melodic Rendezvous didn’t really run a like a horse in need of the outing !

Taking up the running jumping the last, he then battled on strongly to the line.

With a bit of stable confidence behind him I could really have fancied him today, in his ideal conditions – but what do you do when the trainer says he will need the run and he’s a 5/2 shot ?!

Taquin Du Seuil was miles too good for his rivals in the novice chase - but he did seem very tired at the end of it. Hopefully the race won't have left a mark.

With little to report about the runs of the other mentions, that was just about that !

I guess that I’ll just have to keep chipping away and hope that things turn sooner, rather than later…

Tomorrow would be a good time to start J

TVB.